12 episodes
Friendly Rev Etienne LeSage
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- Religion & Spirituality
Away from Church and closer to God? Why not! Imagine a chat with a minister with whom you are comfortable, knowing that you will get authentic, non-judgemental, easy to understand answers. This FriendlyRev is Rev. Étienne LeSage. As a young gay disabled white ordained minister, he knows what it is to be both privileged and stuck in the margins of society. No recruitment, no arrogance, no church duplicity; just an engaging friend filled with empathy, helping you understand christian spiritual concepts that can free and uplift you without trying to get you into a Church.
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Racism : If even Jesus himself had to change his mind about it to allow miracles to happen, why don’t you?
How do you react when someone tells you that you said or did something racist? Find out what Jesus did when he was called on it. If even Jesus himself had to change his mind about racism to allow miracles to happen, why don’t you?
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Recognizing the voice of God in and around you
Etienne announces new services and introduces a spiritual practice of discernment that helps to recognize God’s guidance in the midst of your preoccupations wherever you are.
Some references:
Tetlow, Joseph A. 2021. “Discernment in a Nutshell.” Ignatian Spirituality (blog). 2021. https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/making-good-decisions/discernment-of-spirits/discernment-in-a-nutshell/. -
Your questions : Science vs Religion
Etienne explores 3 of your questions related to science vs religion: 1-Is Science at odds with religion? Is Science saying there is no God? 2-Can I still be a Christian and embrace the theory of Evolution? 3-If we accept evolution, then what does it mean that we are made in the image of God?
Some references:
kangielczyk, Kenneth. 2017. “What Do We Mean by ‘Theory’ in Science?” Text. Field Museum (blog). March 10, 2017. https://www.fieldmuseum.org/blog/what-do-we-mean-theory-science.
LeSage, Etienne. 2018. “Sermon: Interrupted Movings.”
Martelet, Gustave. 2011. “Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Prêtre jésuite, homme de science et philosophe.” Jésuites (blog). September 23, 2011. https://www.jesuites.com/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin-pretre-jesuite-homme-de-science-et-philosophe/.
“Religion and Science in Schools.” 2021. Beyond Belief. BBC Radio 4. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qwv4.
Rennie, John. 2002. “15 Answers to Creationist Nonsense.” Scientific American. July 1, 2002. https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0702-78.
Sober, Eliott. 2005. “Evolution and Creationism From Core Questions in Philosophy: A Text With Readings (Fourth Edition).” California State University Long Beach. https://web.csulb.edu/~cwallis/100/evolution/evolution_and_creationism.html.
University of California Museum of Paleontology. 2021a. “Even Theories Change.” Understanding Science. 2021. https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/%3C?%20echo%20$baseURL;%20?%3E/howscienceworks_20.
———. 2021b. “Science Aims to Explain and Understand.” Understanding Science. 2021. https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/%3C?%20echo%20$baseURL;%20?%3E_0/whatisscience_04.
———. 2021c. “Science and Religion: Reconcilable Differences.” 2021. https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/science_religion.
———. 2021d. “Science at Multiple Levels.” Understanding Science. 2021. https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/howscienceworks_19.
———. 2021e. “Understanding Science: Glossary.” 2021. https://undsci.berkeley.edu/glossary/glossary.php?start=s&end=z. -
Stop the Shame : Jesus did not die for your sins
Etienne wipes away guilt and shame - two feelings heavily associated with Good Friday - and simplifies theories of atonement that attempted to explain how Jesus’ death worked to reconcile us with God. Only one of them consistently honours God AND us, away from shame and into free love.
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Questions about God, Sex and Love : Masturbation, Homosexuality and Same-Sex/LGBTQ2S+ couples
Etienne addresses questions from listeners about masturbation, homosexuality, LGBTQ2S+ couples and sheds light on mishandled Bible verses which should not be used to justify exclusion nor condemnation.
Some contributing references:
DesRochers, Jacob. 2017. « Transgressing Boundaries: Non-Productive Sex ». Kingston, ON: Queens University. https://www.queensu.ca/religion/sites/webpublish.queensu.ca.rlgnwww/files/files/Jacob%20DesRochers-%20Transgressing%20Boundaries%20Research%20Essay.pdf.
« The JEPD Theory ». 2010. St. Mary’s Press. https://www.smp.org/dynamicmedia/files/9f86f9ff327c4e2eb3a9f985b135a6ff/TX001002_1-content-The_JEPD_Theory.pdf. -
Forgive and breathe better
Forgiveness is a present we offer ourselves as much as others and even God. Since the very beginning, Adam, Eve, Cain, Lamech, Peter and Jesus have something to do with it.